Egyptian court sentences 148 Muslim Brotherhood supporters to jail

An Egyptian military court has sentenced 418 supporters of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood movement to jail terms ranging from two years to life imprisonment.

The court rulings announced on Thursday were related to charges over a violent attack on a police station in Minya province in August 2013.

Most of those convicted by the military court were tried in absentia.

All of the 350 defendants who were tried in absentia were sentenced to 25 years in jail or life imprisonment.

The rest of the defendants, who were present at court, received sentences ranging from two years to 10 years in prison for membership in the “banned group" and "sabotage of public facilities and police."

Charges cited by government courts in mass trials of Muslim Brotherhood members vary from inciting violence and causing riots to attacking public facilities, attempted murder of members of the police, disrupting traffic and blocking roads.

SS